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Written by: A. Smith
Published December 5, 2025 @ 1:10 PM ET
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. – Skeletal remains discovered in 2021 in Paulding County have been identified as those of a Dallas man who had been missing for more than a decade.
The remains belong to Thomas Joe Kratzer, born Jan. 18, 1959. Kratzer was reported missing by his family on Feb. 4, 2014, after they had not heard from him since October 2013. He was entered into the GCIC/NCIC system as a missing person, but the case went cold with no new leads.
On Sept. 22, 2021, a property owner preparing land for a residential build found skeletal remains. Deputies responded and secured the scene while detectives and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents conducted a detailed search. Investigators recovered a skull and several bones. No identification, clothing or signs of trauma were found, and the remains were entered into NAMUS as an unidentified person.
GBI anthropologists determined the remains belonged to a Caucasian male between 24 and 60 years old. Comparisons with missing persons across the region did not produce a match.
In 2023, the remains were sent to Othram, a forensic DNA laboratory specializing in advanced testing. Attempts to secure federal funding were unsuccessful because investigators had no evidence that a homicide had occurred. In 2025, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit, with support from the District Attorney’s Office, allocated funds seized from a criminal enterprise to move forward with the DNA analysis.
Othram’s testing produced a presumptive match to Kratzer. The identification was confirmed using a DNA sample from his sister.
“This identification brings long-awaited answers to the Kratzer family,” Sheriff Henson said. “It also demonstrates the unwavering dedication of our Cold Case Unit and our commitment to using every available resource and technology to bring closure to families and justice to those who have been lost.”
Anyone with information about cold cases is asked to contact the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 770-443-3047 or submit information through the Paulding Sheriff mobile app.